At CES in January, GM announced that it is releasing an SDK so that developers can create apps specifically for its vehicles. In fact, there is going to be a 4G-supported app store built into that in-dash screen, allowing you to browse and buy apps from right behind the steering wheel. Of course, they don’t recommend you do this while driving, but you know that inevitably some people will try.

The goal isn’t so much to extend existing apps into the cars as much as it is to build apps that are specific for cars. It’s not about having Angry Birds on there. As Phil Abram, GM Chief Infotainment Officer said, “GM may approve applications that stem from vehicle ownership. For example, customers can choose to download applications that assist them in driving more safely or in a more fuel efficient manner, possibly decreasing the costs of vehicle ownership.” Of course, we can expect the usual suite of weather, music, news and navigation apps too.

The built-in 4G also ensures that you can keep downloading and using these apps even when you’re not tethering off your phone or in the presence of a Wi-Fi hotspot. They have a deal with AT&T for this purpose.

[Source]

The post GM Launching App Store Inside Your Car’s Dashboard appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

The world of social networking is crowded and when we say crowded we do not mean the millions of people using social networking sites, we refer to the websites. As you can see in this list, it’s not just Facebook, Google+ and Twitter, but many more. One that is becoming popular lately is Pheed, which was launched late last year and last month topped the App Store’s social networking category.

Pheed allows its users to post text updates, photos, video and audio clips, and you can even create a live broadcast. So it’s Facebook + Twitter + Instagram + YouTube + UStream.

According to the company, 81% of Pheed users are between the age 14 and 25. This popularity among teens is most probably because Pheed got a lot of publicity on Twitter via many influential teenagers including Acacia Brinley, Pia Mia, and Garrett Backstorm.

One other attractive feature on Pheed is that it allows users to charge $1.99 to $34.99 for accessing their ‘channels’, one can choose either pay-per-view or a monthly subscription. Many celebrities including Miley Cyrus and Paris Hilton are currently on Pheed with thousands of subscribers. But the question is whether users will subscribe to a celeb if they have to pay, since they can follow him/her on Twitter for free.

Pheed is both a website and an app. It’s available via the App Store and online. So, are you already using it or not?

[Source] [Image Source]

The post Pheed: Are You Using It? appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

According to a blog post by Marco Arment, the creator of Instapaper, his app started to have some pretty serious issues after a recent update to the app store. After further research, it was soon reported that many other apps that were updated recently also had serious mess ups, though the actual problems vary from app to app.

For Instapaper, it simply refused to load, so Arment went ahead and sent an email about the issue to Apple. The program was fixed, but he never did receive any information about why or any kind of official address from Apple at all. It’s not surprising really, since Apple often has problems (remember early complaints of heat issues with the new iPad) that it doesn’t directly confirm or even adamantly denies.

While there are many apps affected, from what we are hearing, here are some that have had confirmed problems with the latest version:

• Goodreader
• Readdle Scanner Pro
• Threadnote
• Please Stay Calm
• SMARTReporter (Mac)
• Metronome+
• PDX Bus, Pair
• Angry Birds Space HD Free
• Gaia GPS
• Redshift
• Flick Soccer
• The Early Edition [which is advising users not to upgrade to the latest version]
• iBike Moto
• Please Stay Calm
• Pinball Maniacs
• Stack the States
• Threadnote
• Checkout Helper
• Metronome+
• Phoster
• Melodies Pro
• MoPho
• SMARTReporter (Mac)
• PDX Bus
• CommBank Kaching
• CincyMobile
• The Magic of Reality
• Dolphin HS Browser

So is it a big deal to have these kinds of problems from a big company like Apple? There are many that will likely scream “YES, this is AWFUL”, but the truth is that networks require a lot of work to maintain and stuff happens, as long as it isn’t a common issue, I guess I feel like a little slack should be given. What I take issue with is that it seems like companies are afraid that one little problem will make us run for the hill so instead of telling us what is going on they ignore or hide the issue- like that’s supposed to make us feel better? It’s NOT just Apple, many companies could actually gain our trust and confidence if they’d just keep us in the loop about issues, at least in my humble opinion. For example, back in April of 2011, hackers gained control of Sony’s Playstation Network and it was down for a really long time after the attack. It took Sony days before they said or did much publically. Maybe I’m alone here, but I get sick of big companies hiding things from us. Is it because they fear what will happen, such as negative backlash from investors and consumers?

Regardless, I like Apple (for the most part) and believe they will fix these issues soon enough, it would just have been nice to hear something directly from Apple about it, first.  The worst part is that people will download these apps, have problems and negatively score the app, even if it isn’t truly the app maker at fault here. If Apple took credit, they’d get a little negative publicity, sure, but they’d look like heroes in the eyes of the little developer that ends up losing tons of potential customers because these customers incorrectly think the little app developer can’t make a quality product.

What do you think, should companies like Apple tell us like it is or is it better (for them at least) to hold information back and try to ‘hide’ these sorts of problems from the consumer eye?

[ source ]

The post App Store Issue Causing New Updates On Several Apps To Crash? appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Black SMS is a new App Store app which encrypts texts and emails so that they are unreadable without installing the said app and a password. This means that, those who have sexting as a serious hobby or are in an illicit relationship via SMS will love the new app more, although anyone with an iPhone or iPad can use it.

It’s simple to use and no jailbreak is required. It works with iMessage and it will allow you to send black chat bubbles between iPhones.  All you have to do is open the Black SMS app and type your secret text message after entering your password in the top line. You just tap the ‘lock’ icon and the app will prompt you to go to iMessage and paste the black chat bubble into a new message. Then you simply send it and wait for the reply.

But your secret lover has to have the app installed in his/her iPhone, and also has to know the password. The person will have to copy your black chat bubble into the iPhone’s clipboard, and then open the app to paste it into the large box after the password is entered. Then tap the ‘unlock’ icon to read the message. Sending and receiving an encrypted email link involves the same process. And since the message is sent with AES encryption, decryption is almost impossible.

But the app is not that perfect. You should know that the black chat bubble will be sent as an MMS, since it is encoded as a rainbow-like image. That won’t be good if you did not sign up for a good MMS plan and also sending an MMS will take a few more seconds. Another inconvenience is that you have to switch between the Black SMS app and Apple’s Messages app manually.

But getting the $1 app will always be better than suffering the embarrassment after someone sees your sexy messages. Head her e to get the Black SMS app for the iPhone and iPad.

The post Black SMS: The iPhone App Any Sexter Would Love appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Apple’s new iPad shipped with that awesome 2048×1536 Retina display. As expected, a lot of apps have been updated to take advantage of the high resolution display. The updated apps that are being highlighted on the front page of the App Store include mostly popular apps from the big names. These include  Kindle, NY Times, Flipboard, Reeder, Twitter, and Vimeo. All together there are 42 apps for you to choose from, and the selection includes games, productivity/learning software, among other types.

Apple has decided not to highlight Apple’s own updated software such as GarageBand and iPhoto as these apps get good promotion already. And, as you might have guessed by now, the average app price is quite high.

As for all the other apps which didn’t get updated, we are expecting those to get updated in the very near future. Non-Retina display apps will also work just fine on the new device, but developers have no choice but to update their apps when the hardware is upgraded to stay ahead of their rivals.

But, as we reported earlier, we are hearing a lot of complaints regarding an overheating issue with the new iPad. The problem is thought to be the result of the larger battery and the more powerful processor. We are expecting the newly released high resolution apps to play a big role in heating the device up even more. Is anyone out there using an updated app and feeling the heat?

The post Retina Display Apps Will Make The New iPad Even Hotter appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Annoying co-workers and unmanageable older brothers causing trouble in your life? Help has finally arrived, provided you own an iPhone 4S/4/3GS, or iPad/iPad2 or iPod touch (or all if you are rich and a bit crazy about all things ‘i’). The iLaunch Rocket Launcher is a weapons system which will allows you to rain darts on those who intrude your personal space; and it can be controlled with your iDevice.

Of course there are a lot of others ways to take care of the intruders, such as letting your fists do the talking. But that’s certainly not recommended as co-workers are humans who can get hurt and complain to your boss, and older brothers are usually bigger also.

The iLaunch Rocket Launcher, which allows you to take revenge on the annoying ones in an “entertaining and legal way”, will let you fire foam darts at targets as far as 25 feet away. All you have to do is get the iLaunch Controller App available free on the App Store and the launcher can be controlled via your iDevice (running iOS 5.0.1 or higher).

The iLaunch comes with air powered pistons for firing the darts and rechargeable Lithium battery which can be charged via your computer’s USB port.

But it doesn’t look like it can actually give you immunity from the annoying intruders. We have a slight feeling that it might worsen the situation, but 25 feet of range means more time for you to run to safety. Yet, firing darts will always be fun, especially if your enemy is also equipped with an iLaunch. So, are you interested in a battle? Head here if you are looking forward to playing with the $79.99 iLaunch Rocket Launcher.

The post iLaunch Rocket Launcher For iPhone, iPad And iPod touch appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

It’s time you threw away your dumb walkie-talkie style baby monitor and try the “smart” way of keeping an eye on your little ones. The Smart Baby Monitor from French company Withings will allow you to check on your baby through your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. The sensor-packed web cam was released in the UK last year and now US citizens can finally get their hands on it.

So what’s very smart about this new product, you ask? Well, the fact is that everything about it is smart. First of all, the iOS accessory is not just about a camera. It comes equipped with many sensors for detecting sound, movement, temperature and humidity levels. The wide-angle camera is a 3MP one which can be tilted or swiveled into place all thanks to the monitor’s hinged design.

And that’s not all. It also features night vision via infrared LEDs (switches on automatically when light gets dim) and 4X zoom for zooming in on your baby. If the infant starts crying or moving, or if the room’s conditions become a bit unbearable, the monitor will sense it and will let you know via alerts on your device.

The monitor’s two-way microphone will allow you to hear your baby crying and sing a lullaby to it, provided you know any good ones. The monitor can wirelessly connect to your home internet connection or can connect to your device via Bluetooth. It’s also coming with a lullaby-playing feature and built-in night light.

You must have the WithBaby app on your device for connecting to the monitor. It’s available for free in the Apple App Store. But, as you might have guessed by now, the supermonitor is not cheap. With a $299 price tag, the monitor probably costs more than your handset.

The post Smart Baby Monitor For iPhone, iPad And iPod touch Users (Video) appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

While it is hard to find a voice assistant even close to being as stable and capable as Siri, there is one app that actually comes pretty close, and that’s True Knowledge’s Evi. While the device has been known for having server connection problems here and there, I can attest to the fact that at least the Android version is very good, when I can get it to connect the server properly.

Unfortunately, it looks like the app will no longer be available on iOS, instead becoming an Android only option. No, this isn’t a choice that True Knowledge made on their own, instead one that is being enforced by Apple.

According to William Tunstall-Pedoe, the chief executive of True Knowledge, they were contacted by an Apple representative on Friday and were told that a decision had been made that the app would be removed. The reason? According to Apple it is because they are reviewing it under condition 8.3 of the App Store’s terms and conditions, which basically states that if an app appears to be confusingly similar to an existing Apple product they can ban it from the store.

While they do have quite a few similarities such as naming and even features, they also have some pretty noticeable differences, like Evi’s apparently more robust ability to handle various accents, something that iPhone’s SIRI seems to have trouble with.

Evi has barely even reached the one-month-old mark and yet it has managed to reach about half a million downloads, which are rather evenly split between iOS and Android users. While this might not be that big of a deal for 4S owners, it might be disappointing for those who own older versions of the iPhone or iPad that used Evi as a very capable substitute.

For now, the app is still available in iOS, but it is unclear how much longer it will be before the company decides to take it down. So if you’ve considered Evi on your iOS device before, now might be a great time to get it before it’s too late.

[ source ]

The post Apple Plans To Pull Siri Competitor, Evi, From The App Store appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

The “App Pick of the Week” cards were already made available in the United States, but now Canadians can get them too. As you wait for your princess drink custom GMO latte beverage to be constructed by your barista, you can ask to get one of these cards from the cashier. They might also just leave them out on the counter for the taking.

In either case, you simply take the card and nab the promo code that is shown on the back. You can then enter this code on your iPhone or, if you’re patient and would rather wait, you can enter it into iTunes on your computer. EA’s Scrabble was a recent offering as a pick of the week. I still like Words with Friends, but free is free.

Ironically, as I type this, I have a cup of Starbucks coffee next to me, fueling my ability to type these words. I did not get a free iPhone app, but to be fair, I don’t have an iPhone either.

The post Canadians Get Free iPhone Apps from Starbucks Too appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

For the first time ever, you will be able to play Survival mode on mobile devices. The update adds new blocks such as doors, fences, and gates, and tools for various purposes including digging, attacking and shearing.

There will be a bit more violence (which is always fun as long as it’s just in the game, right?) via the introduction of mobs. The first creatures to arrive are sheep and zombies, and you can expect more for the future. You can flee to safety or fight the zombies and hunting for food is also there.

There will also be day and night in Survival mode with the monsters coming at night, and you can also gather resources from nature. But those who want to stick to the Creative mode also have something to cheer about. You will now be able to fly.

The update for Android devices is currently available for download at Android Market. It’s free if you bought the game earlier, otherwise you will have to shell out $6.99. But you can always check out the demo version if you are willing to sacrifice a few things. As for the iOS version, the update is ready to go too but is awaiting the green light from Apple.

The post Minecraft Pocket Edition Updated with Survival Mode appeared first on Mobile Magazine.